CHAMP is a witty and unusual collection of poems, part chronicle, part meditation, dealing with the life and professional career of Tommy Burns, the Canadian who became Heavyweight Champion of the world. Born Noah Brusso in Hanover, Ontario, Burns held the title from 1906 to 1908, when he lost it to Jack Johnson. These brief poems are packed with insight and concise narrative power -- the story of an indisputably authentic Canadian hero. This is Kay Burkman's first published book, though poems gathered in CHAMP have widely appeared in magazines and anthologies.